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Imelda’s Genuine Love for MARIQUINA Shoes

Cong. Imelda Marcos has a cameo appearance in MARIQUINA. ASIA ON SCREEN 2015 film fest will run at the Shang Cineplex, Shangri-La Plaza Mall from May 8-12, 2015.

Written and photographed

By Jude Bautista

There’s no easier way to convince an audience than a celebrity endorsement. No less than Imelda Marcos herself, possibly the world’s leading shoe connoisseur, gave her endorsement of fictional character Romeo Guevara. The role played by Ricky Davao is supposed to be one of the most respected shoemakers in Marikina. The former first Lady made a cameo appearance in the Marikina Shoe Museum some of which features her vast collection.

The movie MARIQUINA starring Mylene Dizon, Ricky Davao and Cinemalaya Best Supporting actress Barbie Forteza is the opening film for the ASIA ON SCREEN 2015 film fest. Quality films from around Asia will be screened at the Shang Cineplex, Shangri-La Plaza Mall from May 8-12, 2015. The fest is presented by Asia Society Philippines, Security Bank in partnership with the FDCP (Film Development Council of the Philippines) and Shangri-La Plaza.

One of the portraits of Imelda Marcos posing in front of Pres. Ferdinand Marcos’ portrait that can be seen in the Marikina Shoe Museum. ASIA ON SCREEN 2015 film fest will run at the Shang Cineplex, Shangri-La Plaza Mall from May 8-12, 2015. Photo from Official MARIQUINA fb page https://www.facebook.com/mariquinathemovie/timeline

13 films from across Asia are set to delight film enthusiasts this year with works from Australia, Indonesia, India, Thailand, Malaysia, South Korea, China and the Philippines. The other Filipino title in the fest is NIÑO directed by Loy Arcenas and has won Cinemalaya Best Supporting Actress (Shamaine Buencamino), Best Supporting Actor (Art Acuña) and Special Jury Prize.

As one of the successful Cinemalaya entries last year MARIQUINA has recently been screened in Busan Intl Film Festival, Osaka Asian Film Festival, 65th Berlin Intl Film Festival, San Diego Asian Film Festival (SDAFF), Hawaii Intl Film Festival. After the Asia On screen 2015 by Asia Society Phil MARIQUINA will also be screened in Yerba Buena Center for the Arts: New Filipino Cinema 2015 in June.

Casting the former first lady was not difficult for director Milo Sogueco. She has a true soft spot for shoes and Marikina, “You mention shoes, you mention Marikina, which is very close to her, when they were in power. If you talk to the old sapateros they would readily admit they used to gift her with shoes. That one is a fact. If you talk to the original old, sapateros, talagang binibigay nila sa Malacañang ang mga sapatos. It doesn’t amount to all her shoes, meron ding imported, meron mga local na galing sa Marikina.”

The shoes made in Marikina have long been held in high regard. Director Milo’s research proved this started way back. His main character’s last name was also based on true historical figures. “There came a time when the Spanish era then, the family of Kapitan Moy, the first settlers of Marikina were shoe makers. They belong to that family to that clan. Guevara ang apelyido ng isa sa pamilya na gumagawa sa Marikina.”

Che Ramos-Cosio is Leonor Guevara. ASIA ON SCREEN 2015 film fest will run at the Shang Cineplex, Shangri-La Plaza Mall from May 8-12, 2015.

Asked why he made the film Sogueco explained, “It was more of a personal thing. I just wanted to make a movie I could connect to. Years and years before I was trying to reconcile a personal affliction. I was having an identity crisis of how it is being a Filipino. Bakit may mali sa Pilipino? I was asking myself during those years. Maybe we have a problem with our own identity? Maybe we don’t know who we really are, our past and we haven’t reconciled with it also. That’s where it came from.”

from left: Milo Sogueco & Mylene Dizon. ASIA ON SCREEN 2015 film fest will run at the Shang Cineplex, Shangri-La Plaza Mall from May 8-12, 2015. Photo by Jude Bautista

The journey of the main character is a metaphor of the whole country, “In our movie, our heroine Imelda Guevara is played by Mylene Dizon and Barbie Forteza. Their character is like a lost soul trying to find itself. Yon yung philosophy ko behind it. Parang Pinoy rin (Like Filipinos) we need to find ourselves first before we can move on and be a better country.”

Mylene Dizon (Imelda Guevara). ASIA ON SCREEN 2015 film fest will run at the Shang Cineplex, Shangri-La Plaza Mall from May 8-12, 2015.

The Marikina Shoe Museum houses 700 pairs from Imelda Marcos personal collection. They also have shoes from celebrities, political figures on display. They even have what they call a Running Heel, a motorcycle made into a shape of a stiletto. Imelda admits to having over a thousand instead of the much-publicized 5,000 pairs. She’s also quoted as saying, “They went into my closets looking for skeletons, but thank God, all they found were shoes, beautiful shoes.”

Cong. Imelda Marcos’ shoe collection on display at the Marikina Shoe Mueseum. ASIA ON SCREEN 2015 film fest will run at the Shang Cineplex, Shangri-La Plaza Mall from May 8-12, 2015. Photo from Official MARIQUINA fb page https://www.facebook.com/mariquinathemovie/timeline

Cong. Imelda Marcos with Ricky Davao who plays master shoemaker Romeo Guevara. Photo was taken during MARIQUINA Cinemalaya gala night last August 2014 at the CCP. Photo by Jude Bautista

Barbie Forteza tweets in front of BRIC’S Milano Italian Travel Bags in East Atrium of Shang Mall. ASIA ON SCREEN 2015 film fest will run at the Shang Cineplex, Shangri-La Plaza Mall from May 8-12, 2015. Photo by Jude Bautista

from right: Mylene Dizon and Bing Pimentel check out BRIC’S Milano Italian Travel Bags in Shang Plaza East Atrium. ASIA ON SCREEN 2015 film fest will run at the Shang Cineplex, Shangri-La Plaza Mall from May 8-12, 2015. Photo by Jude Bautista

Barbie Forteza won a Cinemalaya Best Supporting Actress nod for her performance as teen Imelda Guevara. ASIA ON SCREEN 2015 film fest will run at the Shang Cineplex, Shangri-La Plaza Mall from May 8-12, 2015.

Jude Thaddeus Bautista

I'm a professional writer and photographer for over a decade. The subjects that I cover vary from entertainment to film, music, travel, lifestyle and even sports. Stories and pictures can come from anywhere, this is my way of sharing them with you.

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[…] for granted, not just by the youth but Filipinos in general. That’s why yearly events such as the PASINAYA where these activities come together are so important. Include Cinemalaya, Cinema One, Virgin […]

[…] for granted, not just by the youth but Filipinos in general. That’s why yearly events such as the PASINAYA where these activities come together are so important. Include Cinemalaya, Cinema One, Virgin […]

Our Lost Culture in 3 Stars And A Sun | Text and Photos by Jude Bautista